Warren County Death Records

Warren County death records are available through both county and state sources in northwestern Pennsylvania. The county seat is Warren. State death indices from 1906 to 1975 are free to search online through the PA State Archives. Pre-1906 records are held at the county Register of Wills office. Warren County also has a notable genealogical resource in the transcribed Warren State Hospital Cemetery records, which document hundreds of burials and include names from various time periods and many European immigrant backgrounds.

Warren County Death Records Overview

Warren County sits in the far northwestern corner of Pennsylvania, bordering New York state to the north. The county seat, Warren, is a city on the Allegheny River that has served as the regional center for over two centuries. The county's history reflects the lumber and oil industries of the nineteenth century, followed by manufacturing in the twentieth century. Row offices in Warren County include the Register of Wills, which handles estate matters and early vital records. County government services are listed on the official Warren County government website.

Warren County death records are indexed in the PA State Archives death index from 1906 to 1975. These records are free to search online. Pre-1906 death records are at the county Register of Wills in Warren. Formal death registration began in 1893. Death records from 1893 to 1905 are at the county courthouse. The Register of Wills also maintains Orphans' Court records and handles estate matters that can supplement formal death records. Estate files, wills, and probate records go back to the county's founding.

Visit the PA State Archives death indices page to search Warren County records online. For deaths after 1974, use the PA Department of Health vital records page.

Note: Warren County's border with New York means some families may have records in both states. Check New York State vital records when researching Warren County families with northern roots.

Warren State Hospital Cemetery Records

The Warren State Hospital Cemetery is one of the more unusual genealogical resources available for Warren County research. The cemetery contains hundreds of burials of patients who died at Warren State Hospital over many decades. A transcription of these cemetery records was made by Fran Kenney and lists names alphabetically. The cemetery is located in Warren, Pennsylvania 16365. The Warren State Hospital Cemetery transcription is available online and lists patient names, death dates, and birth dates where available.

The records in this cemetery reflect the diverse patient population of the hospital over its history. Many European immigrant names appear in the list, reflecting the patterns of immigration to northwestern Pennsylvania during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Names from Ireland, Germany, Poland, Italy, and other European countries are represented. For some families, a relative who died at the state hospital may appear in these records rather than in standard vital records channels.

The hospital cemetery records are separate from the standard death certificate system. A patient who died at Warren State Hospital would still have a formal death certificate filed with the county and state. However, the cemetery transcription provides an additional layer of information including burial location and some personal details not always found in the certificate alone. Researchers whose ancestors may have been patients at Warren State Hospital should check this resource alongside the standard death records.

Note: Warren State Hospital Cemetery records are a transcribed genealogical resource, not official vital records. Use them to supplement, not replace, formal death certificate research.

Accessing Warren County Death Records

For deaths from 1893 to 1905, contact the Warren County Courthouse in Warren. The Register of Wills is the right office. Provide the full name of the deceased and an approximate year. Staff can search the registers and provide copies. Mail requests are accepted. The PA State Archives holds microfilm of early Warren County vital records for researchers who cannot travel to Warren.

For deaths from 1906 onward, start with the free PA State Archives death index. Two indexing methods apply. Deaths from 1920 to 1924 and from 1930 to 1951 use the Russell Soundex method. All other years use alphabetical order. The index is free to search online. Once you find the State File Number, order the certificate from the appropriate source. The PA State Archives holds original certificates from 1906 to 1974. For deaths from 1975 onward, use the PA Division of Vital Records.

Certified copies cost $20 each. Mail requests to PO Box 1528, New Castle, PA 16103. Phone: 724-656-3100 or 844-228-3516. Online orders go through VitalChek at mycertificates.health.pa.gov. Walk-in service is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Pittsburgh and Erie offices are the closest walk-in locations for Warren County. Digital images of death certificates from 1906 to 1972 are on Ancestry.com. Death certificates become public records 50 years after the date of death.

Note: The Erie walk-in office for the PA Division of Vital Records is likely the most convenient location for Warren County residents needing in-person service for death certificate requests.

Nearby Pennsylvania Counties

Warren County borders several counties in northwestern Pennsylvania. Check neighboring county records if your ancestor lived near a county line.

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